Introduction
The purpose of this photo blog is to rethink the role of the bookstore at the University of Arizona (UA). A good amount of students go to the UA bookstore when they come to the campus. As an incoming freshman, my initial impression was that the bookstore would be a place where I would begin my academic journey. This is where I would first go to buy the textbooks that I had ordered for my classes. However, when I had the opportunity to spend time there, I realized that this space is much more about commercialism than academics and it treated us much more like consumers than students.
Photo #1
This photo shows the main entry where the bookstore is presented as a "gateway to an academic institution." The visual space is dominated by the flags of many countries which gives the impression of a global institution. This impression is reinforced by the globe which is featured prominently on the floor display. When I first saw these, I thought they might be there to make the international students feel welcome. However, after analyzing the total space, I realize that this display is designed to make the U.S. students and visitors feel like they are a part of something big and important so they feel better about buying all of the items in the store.
The photo also shows many displays of textbooks and other scholarly-looking books which adds to the visual impression that this location's primary role is academic. Over the door in the right corner, is the sign "General Books" which makes you think that there are books, books, and more books offered here. The few people shopping in this area of the photo look quiet and academic like they are in a library.
Photo #2
In this photo, we begin to see the commercialism that the UA bookstore is really about. This area shows a retail space crammed full of merchandise. The stuff for sale here is not academic at all, but a bunch of UA booster products. The sign on the back wall says "Wildcat Frenzy" as if we, the students and visitors, are supposed to be transformed into wild supporters of a prestigious university's sports teams. The sales lady at the conveniently located counter is trained to quickly ring up our impulse purchases. The shirts, hats , plates, backpacks,candy, and many other trinkets are there for students, parents,and other visitors to buy, so we all can prove just how enthusiastic we are about UA.
Photo #3
This photo from the lower level of the bookstore shows the impact of the current leading commercial trend setter, Apple. This very expensive merchandise is interesting, but also gets quickly outdated by the same brand's faster, smarter version of the same item introduced just months later. The most expensive screens/laptops are prominently displayed to tempt the students into looking at them and buying them. Underneath the display table is the “grab and go inventory” that makes it fast and easy to take these products to the cash register to buy them. All of these boxes are lined up in the same way to provide an impactful visual display of the Apple brand logo. In the background, there is a tall stand of headphones that look interesting, but in reality do not deliver the best sound quality. However, the big consumer electronics companies want students to buy these accessories so the companies can make more profit. On the wall, you can see many extra accessories that are less expensive and may be lower quality, but coming from a university bookstore seem better than at Radio Shack. This expensive merchandise probably sells very well early in the term, as the UA bookstore allows students to "conveniently" use their "Catcard" to buy any textbook or other "necessary school" merchandise in the first three weeks of the semester so that it is charged to their parents Bursar's account.
Photo #4
This photo features the "Starbucks Coffee" store within the bookstore. The lettering of the Starbucks sign is bigger than any other sign about books in the store. There are lots of display stands of their products all around. Most important, this is the location where most of the shoppers can be seen. This "store within the store" is the busiest place of the all. There is not a single textbook here, but instead students and faculty just come here to get a cup of coffee and socialize with their peer groups.
In a way, it is the ultimate visual statement that the UA bookstore is a place of rampant consumerism and commercialism rather than the "gateway to academics" that a naive incoming freshman thought it was before arriving.
photo 1: wheres that quote coming from? try to avoid I
ReplyDeletesolid analysis
bit of a leap to final claim in paragraph 1
no textbooks in that photo
maybe revise books books and more books
whats the point of the last 2 sentences?
photo 2: claim made seems surface level delve deeper claim about counter lady is unsupported im not noticing a central theme of paper your conjectures from photo 1 to photo 2 contradict
generally short
photo 3: a lot of adjectives about apple try a simpler analysis? noticing a lack of centralization over whole paper. Try deeper analysis about the space "the bookstore" as a whole. Accusation of sound quality cannot be proven. Consider removing "air" "quotes" let the irony come through in voice. Try not to use probably make strong, supported and logical claims.
photo 4: why quotes around Starbucks? Whats the purpose of the first two claims, yes it's the biggest sign but why? Less quotation marks. conclude your claims. conclusion really irrelevant rampant consumerism isn't displayed and hardly mentioned (only intro and conclusion) commercialism is flimsily shown once not all freshman think its a gateway as implied. THESE POINTS ARE GOOD, but need to be represented thorough the work with stronger evidence in the photos and emphasis on the space as a whole
Pic 1
ReplyDeleteI like how you describe the entrance as a “gateway to academic institution” however I don’t know why the quotations are necessary. This caption is a start; however give more examples and discussion on why the international feel to make students feel important. As a reader I am not sold on your description as the glob as a way to make people feel they are a part of something larger but instead showing that the knowledge of the world can be found here.
Pic 2
This caption does not add much to your argument. You briefly touch on how the goods are not academic but for school pride. Tell us why this is important. In your introduction you said, “This space is much more about commercialism than academics and it treated us much more like consumers than students.” Focus your augment on this prove to the reader, just don’t state, that the school products are for consumers not students. Also keep in mind that the bookstore also has a lot of proud parents who want to show off their kid’s school.
Pic 3
This caption is very jumpy, going from the apple products to the headphones, and then to other technology. Tie them altogether better. I like how you mention the catcard. I think that you should make this your main point to the caption. It is just so easy to go into the bookstore and put it on the catcard.
Pic 4
Once again you briefly describe the space and say your point without explaining why. Talk more and explain why the Starbucks is more for consumerism then academics. You do a good job at setting this point up but you need to clinch the argument
For your conclusion bring together the main points of each of the four picture and reinforce the connection between them all.
Overall
I really like your introduction. It is a great explanation of what the blog is and why it is important to you. You have good starts on all of your captions however you need to refine them and make sure the topic of each caption builds off of the previous, or adds something to your argument.
Photo 1-I was confused on why there are quotation marks around “gateway to academic institution,” however I thought it was a great line that added to your opening picture. I think you should add more to the first section and expand on the flags and globes and why they are there. The second section was a little too informal and didn't tie into what you were saying in the first section.
ReplyDeletePhoto 2-You need to go deeper into analysis here. I see what you are trying to say, but you just need more of your ideas to make the claims stronger. Go into the "commercialism" part of your claim, such as why do they sell all that stuff there and the purpose of having it all right by the check out counter? Just go into more detail
Photo 3-What's your claim here? The paragraph didn't flow, so I would work it around so the reader better understands what you are trying to say. Just like the other two photos I feel that you need to add more writing that supports your claim.
Photo 4-I'm not sure if the quotation marks are needed, but you still need to go into more detail. I'm not sure about the claim you are making. You just need to make sure it's clear for the reader because it's not bad now, but I am lost on what exactly you are trying to say.
I think your blog would be great if you just added more detail to each picture and create stronger claims. It's there now, but you just need more to support exactly what you are trying to say. I just want more of your ideas to come out. The intro was great though!